Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. 2 The Lord handed King Jehoiakim of Judah over to him, along with treasures from the house of God. Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and put the vessels in the treasury of his god....

3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the Chaldean language and literature.

“...to the land of Shinar” (Daniel 1:2).

Daniel: “God is my judge” → Belteshazzar: “Baal protects the king”

Hananiah: “God is gracious” → Shadrach: “Under the Command of Aku (the moon god)”

Mishael: “There is none like God” → Meshach: “There is none like Aku (the moon god)”

Azariah: “God has helped me” → Abed-Nego: “The Servant of Nebo (the Babylonian god of wisdom)”  

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of Nebuchadnezzar, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to (him), 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food… 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

1. We show we are different… by living according to different values 

Money:

Sex:

Power,

1. Don’t go into debt.

2. Save.

3. Be generous

2. We show we are different… By refusing to compromise our integrity 

3. We show we are different… by conforming to Scripture, not culture 

Reformer Martin Luther: “The courage of the soldier is tested in how well he stands where the battle is the hottest, not in how brave he postures himself where the battle has passe 

You won’t make a difference unless you are different.